Founded in 2014, Yacht Harbour has now gone through nearly 3 years of rapid growth, packed with milestones and interesting events. In this list are 11 things about Yacht Harbour that are not widely known, but we thought were interesting enough to share.
#1 Yacht Harbour started as an Instagram channel
Even though Yacht Harbour's initial plan was to build a web platform for a marketplace of yachts for sale, the company started an Instagram account in August 2014 to get some sort of traction, ahead of the launch of its website in December of that year.
At a time when no yachting media companies were on the platform, the strategy proved successful and saw Yacht Harbour get to 10,000 followers in under 4 months. This, in turn, proved instrumental to getting the first users to Yacht Harbour.
#2 We power instant results for a Top 5 search engine
Another little known fact about Yacht Harbour is that the company's index powers an instant result snippet for search engine, DuckDuckGo. One of the 5 available search settings on an iPhone, DuckDuckGo is a search engine built with privacy in mind.
Any user searching for a particular yacht on the platform, will see on top of search results an image of the yacht with it's main specifications, which DuckDuckGo displays using an API built by Yacht Harbour on top of its database for the search engine.
#3 News coverage was first meant as a content marketing play
Even though our audience is now spread evenly across its superyacht marketplace and its news section, Yacht Harbour's editorial coverage was started only in October 2015 to act as a content marketing vehicle for its search platform.
Despite these plans, news coverage rapidly evolved and grew to serve the purposes of a true media company, which Yacht Harbour has since become. Stories broken by our news department are now often used as sources by international media such as the BBC, CNBC and others.
#4 We built a chat bot to answer any yachting question
Developed in a wave of growing excitement over chat bots, Brook became the first chat bot in yachting that used a combination of machine learning, natural language recognition and big data to answer any question related to yacht.
Although Brook was since retired due to a lack of users, Yacht Harbour did manage to build a working version, answering over 80% of asked questions. Its original interface can still be seen here. When live it was even accessible from the Telegram messaging platform.
#5 Our content can be found on Forbes and Business Insider
As part of its content distribution strategy, Yacht Harbour struck deals with Business Insider to distribute part of its English-language content and to contribute stories to the French and Russian versions of Forbes.
With news stories around yachting and articles trying to open up the field to a more general audience, this content was read over 2 million times so far in 2017.
#6 We ran a crowdfunding campaign in our first year
Far from today's peak of attention around ICOs, Yacht Harbour ran a crowdfunding campaign in 2015 as an experiment, ahead of the launch of its charter marketplace to offer heavily discounted deals and lifetime advantages for participants.
Through the campaign, Yacht Harbour raised just under $3,000 from a series of contributors. The value of some the items offered then by Yacht Harbour has grown over 1,000x today.
#7 We get 10 million impressions of our content every month
Having rapidly grown from the 23 visitors Yacht Harbour on the day of it's launch, the company's combined channels now reach over 10 million impressions every month. This figure includes Yacht Harbour's website traffic, social media reach and audience on third-party platforms.
#8 There are sometimes easter eggs on Yacht Harbour
Sometimes overtaken by the holiday spirit, Yacht Harbour's homepage can sometimes change to adopt a special skin for limited times as seen above. So far, the company has dressed up its website for Halloween, Christmas and New Year's Eve but other events may soon be coming.
#9 One million minutes are spent watching Yacht Harbour's videos monthly
Playing an increasingly important role for any media company, videos have been a key to Yacht Harbour's success as well with over 800 days worth of videos being watched on our platform every month. The latest Black Pearl video alone reached over 3 million impressions on our network.
#10 Our Facebook page outranks its nearest competition 10 to 1
Owing much of its success to social media, Yacht Harbour has always tried to dominate the space in the superyacht sector and Facebook is currently the most reflective of this paradigm. Whereas Yacht Harbour gets 36,500 engagements on its page every week, the nearest competition currently sits at 3,300 engagements per week.
#11 It took us over 20,000 hours to build the Timeline platform
A major step forward in yacht search, Yacht Harbour's Timeline platform was launched in May 2017 after over 20,000 hours of research. The platform, compared to a Bloomberg terminal for yachting, lets its subscribers track the market in real time, discover the story behind any yacht and find the best deals on the market with big data.
Photos by Julien Hubert
The group strengthens its presence in the Asian market. Ferretti Group announced the grand opening of its new marvelous showroom in Shanghai at the Bellagio Hotel. This new opening confirms the strategy of international growth of Ferretti Group, and its goal to increase visibility in the Asia-Pacific market.Ferretti Group brand new showroom is located in the shopping section on the first floor of Bellagio Shanghai. It perfectly mirrors the elegant taste, the international excellence and Italian aesthetics of the Group. At this showroom, visitors will see the impressive scale models of the latest yacht models presented from the Group’s portfolio of legendary brands, such as Riva 110’ Dolcevita debuted last month during Cannes Yachting Festival, Pershing 140 to be debuted in year 2019, and 74M mega yacht Cloud 9 from CRN brand which was delivered to her owner last year. These new projects are benchmarks of cutting-edge design and technology innovation in the global nautical world. Showroom visitors can also learn about the history and heritage of all seven brands from the interactive touchscreen totem.“The new grand opening confirms, once again, Ferretti Group’s commitment to further expand in continental China, next to positioning all brands in a selective market, that is definitely strategic in the luxury field” comments Stefano De Vivo, CCO of Ferretti Group.The grand opening saw the participation of distinguished guests such as Mr. Bartolomeo Lamonarca, the Italian Consul Shanghai, Mr. Alain Tsui, the General Manager of Bellagio Shanghai, general managers of yacht clubs from East China, publishers of China’s top lifestyle magazine, partners of Ferretti Group from various sectors in the luxury industry, and successful entrepreneurs and boat owners. Mr. Alessandro Tirelli, Sales Director of Ferretti Group Asia Pacific shared the Ferretti Group’s latest achievements, new fleet, and new vision for the Chinese market, as well as exciting news from the September Cannes Yachting Festival and Monaco Yacht Show.
October 19, 2018
At sea, your gaze and your imagination have no limits. You keep on feeling the vastness of the sea and experience a completely new feeling of exploring or rediscovering the true meaning of life. This ship takes you to a new level of emotionality - right where the sea meets the sky. The Solar Impact is a yacht for people who want to travel further, without sacrificing comfort, elegance and state-of-the-art technology, and for whom the destination is the actual experience of the journey itself. The Flybridge is a welcoming outdoor space. The view is fantastic and as you watch the sea, all your wishes can come true."SolarImpact is synonymous with state-of-the-art in shipbuilding when it comes to fluid mechanics, highly efficient energy technologies, and sustainability. Our yacht concept avoids noise and CO2 emissions and is therefore an important step towards electric mobility in the maritime sector." - comments Werner Vögeli, CEO of SolarImpact Yacht AG.<iframe width="1260" height="709" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wP3Ye1ee70c" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>This new yacht is a game-changer, not just in terms of its solar propulsion and design. Two aspects that have prevented a pleasant stay on board in the past have also been addressed: rough seas and high noise levels. The innovative solar yacht glides almost silently and without swaying - even over waves several metres high. The hull technology is based on the SWATH (Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull) construction principle.This achieves a physical shaft decoupling that reduces the rolling and heeling of the yacht by up to 90 percent. the hull lies calmly in the water even in strong swells, putting an end to the annoying swaying motion of the boat. But SolarImpact has recognised that the principle offers yet another invaluable advantage: it significantly reduces energy consumption. All systems on board can use the sun as their primary energy source. The yacht‘s solar drive is not only environmentally friendly, but also extremely quiet.Not only is the solar yacht almost self-sufficient in terms of energy, but with a top speed of over 20 knots it is also exceptionally fast. This is due to the technical components used, which collectively ensure the yacht‘s high overall efficiency and are optimally controlled using artificial intelligence (AI). All key systems are highly automated, so that a single person can even manoeuvre the yacht."However, the technology is not in the foreground: our customers can expect a product that sets new standards in terms of user-friendliness, comfort and convenience, and individual freedom. For instance, our yacht also caters to people’s increasing desire to move their centre of life permanently onto the water. The yacht concept we‘re presenting takes an important step towards maritime e-mobility by avoiding noise and CO2 emissions. We also see this as a special incentive for investors, who not only invest in a promising emerging technology, but also, by purchasing the yacht, pay into an environmental fund that serves to preserve and rebuild the environment for the future." -comments Werner Vögeli, CEO of SolarImpact Yacht AG.The interiors of the Solaryacht were designed for long stays on board with luxurious living areas and spacious cabins. It is especially dedicated to people who know comfort on long journeys and love sophisticated aesthetics. That excellent balance of shapes and the elegance of design make the SolarImpact Yacht an exceptional residence with a view of the sea. On deck you enjoy your own oasis to the sun and an environment where you can relax and unwind in complete peace. The SolarImpact is a yacht for cruisers who want to travel further without sacrificing comfort, elegance and the latest technology, whose goal is the actual experience of the journey itself. The large windows offer unparalleled views and incredible brightness in every area. The interiors are designed to pamper owner and guests with maximum comfort. Light flows into the large open living room, which combines modern taste with a warm and cosy style. After an day out at sea, the skipper's suite and the guest cabins offer a maximum of comfort and a pleasant peace and quiet. The interior presents only one variant. The equipment is adapted according to the customer's wishes. You can glide the yacht anywhere - without a single drop of fuel! Thanks to absolutely free solar energy, the SolarImpact Yacht has an unlimited range. Just enjoy the quiet and solar-powered journey.The SolarImpact Yacht is a ship with an exceptional feeling of airiness, wide and spacious corridors and a special crew area that promises passengers maximum privacy. It also offers technical extras for further travel and unique comfort for journeys to the horizon and beyond. The flybridge is an inviting open-air living room where you can spend hours in the sun.and spend it in the light. The view is fantastic and while you are watching the sea, all your dreams can come true.To ensure the perfect functioning of all systems, the required energy quantity of the solar system should be up to 500 kilowatt hours per day. How much energy can the solar system generate? This depends primarily on the geographical location of your yacht and the current weather conditions. The number of daylight hours and the intensity of sunlight are the most important factors. However, the solar system could produce more than enough energy in the world's most popular sailing areas. The yacht is equipped with a real-time energy monitoring system so that the owner can monitor and make optimum use of energy consumption at all times. Under optimal environmental conditions, the solar system generates up to 320 kWh of electricity (32KW/h peak => 10h), which charges the energy store or drives the yacht.
October 18, 2018
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the "Yachting Capital of the World" will host the 59th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show on October 31- Nov 4, 2018. The show exhibits range from yacht builders and designers to exotic cars and brokerage yachts. Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show program will showcase the latest vessels, technical innovations, and performance reviews, as well as highlight the wide array of lifestyle amenities, likeunparalleled hospitality, dining, and shopping options in the area. Additionally, a Best of Show trophy created by renowned industrial designer, Derek Jenkins, will be presented to the most innovative new model design on display. Top largest yachts attending FLIBS 2018 : 1. Areti (85m)2. Elandess (75m) 3. Party Girl (63m) 4. Utopia IV (62m)5. Excellence V (60m)6. Elysian (60m) 7. Minderella (59m)8. Lady Sheridan (58m)9. Power Play (56m) 10. Lady Michelle (55m)A wide variety of boats will be on display including runabouts, sportfishers, high performance boats, center consoles, cabin cruisers, flats boats, skiffs, express cruisers, sailing yachts, motor yachts, bowriders, catamarans, ski boats, jet boats, trawlers, inflatables, canoes, and extraordinary superyachts. This is exactly where you want to be.
October 18, 2018
Van der Valk Shipyard in the Netherlands has delivered the 23-metre Joy to a delighted client in the Mediterranean. As the latest motoryacht in the popular Flybridge range, Joy features timeless design and cutting-edge equipment. She also benefits from the experienced owner’s distinctive taste and considerable experience.First introduced in 2010 and regularly updated, Van der Valk’s Flybridge range remains very popular today. Its elegant appearance, outstanding quality and state-of-the-art technology have stood the test of time, and the yachts are renowned for their excellent value retention. The 23-metre version was launched eight years ago and ten have been built to date. This versatile model is equally suited for families, lone yachtsmen and sailing with a crew.Joy’s owner hails from the shipbuilding industry himself and has a rich understanding of yachts as well as large commercial vessels. As such, he had a very clear idea of what he wanted – the client opted for Van der Valk after considering several other brands and realising that his particular needs and tastes could not be fully met by any of them.“The owner did not have a great deal of time for hands-on monitoring of the construction process,” recalls Van der Valk’s marketing manager Yoeri Bijker. “Once the contract was signed, he trusted us and mostly followed the build via progress photo reports received from the yards production management team. Thanks to careful planning and implementation, this remote approach worked very well and the client found the final result to be entirely in line with the images and his requirements.”Joy has a classic, timeless exterior characterised by Van der Valk’s award-winning semi-displacement hard chine hull in a moderate V design and a distinctive, elegant dark blue hull. The flybridge deck comprises an outdoor helm station with co-pilot seat, a U-shaped sitting area, a mini wet bar and a large inflatable water slide, as well as space for a Williams Turbojet 385 tender and an Opacmare crane with a capacity of 450 kg.The main deck has a contemporary style with a traditional touch, represented by rich Pennsylvanian walnut and Zebrano woods. The lounge centres on a U-shaped settee to port, and there is a dining area to starboard opposite the well-equipped galley. The outside dining space aft is comfortable and spacious, and the separate wheelhouse contains an indoor helm station and the latest navigation technology. The lower deck houses well-appointed accommodations, each with ensuite bathrooms. The full-beam master stateroom amidships is flanked by a VIP cabin forward and two guest cabins, one with a double and one with a bunk bed. There is also a separate full beam crew area with two cabins and a bathroom.Joy is propelled by three Volvo Penta IPS800 engines with full joystick control. A Seakeeper 26 gyroscopic stabiliser keeps her stable both underway and at zero speed. An unusual bonus is the RINA classification for recreational craft. Rarely seen on a 23-metre vessel that will not be used for chartering, this was a special request by the owner to ensure the highest safety standards and enhance her commercial resale value.
October 17, 2018
Passionate superyacht owner - Paul Allen passed away at the age of 65, as he had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma since 1982. Paul Allen was one of the founders of the Microsoft, alongside with Bill Gates. It is well knonw that he had a passion for the ocean and adventures. Paul Allen owned 126-meter superyacht Octopus built in 2003 by Lurssen. The exterior was designed by Espen Oino Naval Architects, whilst Jonathan Quinn Barnett of Seattle was responsible for the interior. Unlike the other owners of superyachts who are trying to stand out with non-standard form or with a length of their boats, Paul Allen has made a bid for excellence, for example, his yacht was built under the scheme of diesel-electric with 8 diesel generators, who simultaneously work on two electric motors of 6 megawatts, propelling screws. Also, Octopus has thrusters that allow her to go into any port or moor without help of tugboats despite the length of 126 meters.Megayacht's alluring features include two helicopters, a submarine, swimming pool, music studio and basketball court. She can accommodate up to 26 guests in 41 suites and a crew of 60. Octopus is also known for its annual celebrity-studded parties hosted at Cannes film festival, where Allen and his band play for guests.Another Paul Allen's superyacht was 92-meter Tatoosh. Tatoosh was built by Nobiskrug for mobile phone magnate Craig McCaw. Then the vessel was purchased by Paul Allen for a reported $100 million. The yacht's interior has been designed by Terence Disdale and has exterior styling by Kusch Yachts.The owner's accommodation incorporates two deck levels and is designed for total privacy, with a full beam bedroom, family room, observation lounge, gymnasium and a private office along with two children's cabins. She can sleep 20 guests overall in a further nine double staterooms and two cabins for four staff. Amenities aboard include a cinema and a heated swimming pool with contra-flow jets and Tatoosh also has two helicopter pads.
October 16, 2018
